Me-Made-May 13 – week 5 round up

And its over….

This final week I wore nothing but repeats so I won’t bore you with photos of my outfits.

This was my second year of Mmm13 and I’m a little disappointed with my performance. But hey that’s how you learn right, by examining how to improve in the future.

Quick maths using my photos and unblogged repeats meant I achieved 21 days out of 31… Oh that’s quite nice I suppose but I wanted to do 26 really!

What did I learn about Me-Made-May?

I liked trying to make my photos of a better quality with a variety of locations and different posing.

My will to upload pics to flickr dissolved around the time I was packing for my holidays. Sorry lovely flickr peeps but the android app is horrendous to use.

I liked adding an extra challenge with my polka dot week.

What did I learn about my me-made wardrobe?

I have plenty of me-made tops. I said this in a previous post but I started out sewing thinking I’d make oodles of dresses, but ended up with oodles of tops!

I need more day dresses. Especially since my office has relaxed its dress code. I need dresses that make me happy but don’t look too formal. I know the best way to do this is make cotton sun dresses so I am going to put that into action.

I don’t like any of my me-made skirts as they fit terribly (I didn’t wear them a single day!) and I hope to rectify this soon: I’ve signed up a to a skirt pattern drafting course.

If I can nail the fit of skirts for my body shape I’d like to make a beignet, a classic circle skirt, and possibly a kelly skirt.

I also fell back in love with a dress I very rarely wear. It’s just a touch too short but that’s easily fixable on a second version.

Will I do MMM next year?

I think I’ll give myself the year off next time. I enjoyed this year as much as last year but I think I’d prefer to sit back and look at everyone’s posts, take inspiration and let myself choose me-made items for my daily wardrobe on a more relaxed basis.

I hope you found MMM13 enjoyable if you were taking part or just soaking up inspiration!

I really enjoyed finding new blogs to follow as well as swooning over wonderful outfits.

Me-Made-May 13 – week 4: The Portuguese edition!

This post covers the me made items packed in my suitcase between May 20th and 28th!

I’ve been in Portugal taking some relaxation time!

Back to reality with a bump. I landed in the UK Tuesday and I was back in work yesterday.

Although it’s a short work week for me I have plenty planned so thought I better get my me mades onto the blog sharpish!

Day 20: I flew in my green bias stripe top. Not pictured as it was 7am and I was a wee bit sleepy.

Day 21. This dress will now be called the “when are you due?” dress after a ludicrous man asked me this twice when I wore it out. To be fair I had just eaten three courses… but still! He then turned to the barman and said “That’s what we call a ‘gaffe’ in England”.

Day 23: This is the first dress I ever made. Its got terrible construction compared to recent makes but I love it. Lovely colours and mystical optical illusions going on to make my waist look so small.

Day 27: This is my nautical-inspired braided headband. I keep meaning to do a tutorial for this one. Its jaunty and I love it.

Day 28: my heading home outfit. Arrrgh I have to wear jeans again!!

Just five items and a few repeats here I’m afraid. Why the hell haven’t I made more sundresses?! If I had made a beach cover-up I’d be owning it this week. Only a few more days of May to go!!

I’ll leave you with some more holiday pics.

Me-Made-May 13 – week 2: its all about the polka dots baby!!

We’re in week two and it’s time for my polka dot challenge!

I managed six days of me-made dots this week. It would have been seven if I’d conquered my half done Burda dress. Sigh….

Let’s check out the dots!!

Self-drafted Elsie knock off dress worn for a stroll around the canal on Bank Hol Monday.

Wearable Mathilde muslin (though I’m pretty sure the yoke stitches are going to snap soon because it’s too tight).

Prima Tea Dress; never blogged. It has very flattering under-bust gathering and a gored skirt. But I ran out of fabric for the sleeves and it looks silly without them so I always wear a cardigan!

Cowering from the rain in one of my earliest makes; self-drafted chiffon top with peter pan collar. I wear this all the time. Its going to fall apart soon.

My new morse code crepe Sortbetto (minus the pleat) with contrast bias binding. Not really digging this boxy style but it got some compliments so may keep wearing it.

Finally a lovely satin nl 6808. The fabric is from the Birmingham Meet Up so wearing this reminds me of that day. It’s super comfy and flattering and much loved.

And that is it for week 2! I’m already worried about week four but we’ll see how it goes.

“What’s that girl? Timmy’s fallen down the well?”

No need to send out the dogs to find me. Lassie can carry on fighting crime and saving children through the power of barking.*
I’ve just been having some time off and some technical issues!

I’ve been busy beavering away on a dress and two tops but illness, family bereavement and a new job haven’t helped with the energy to do photoshoots. And my wordpress was refusing to publish my latest jacket post so I’ve given up on getting it live for now.

Today we have a brief interlude from my jacket progress to present my Mathilde blouse wearable muslin.

*Fun fact. Timmy never fell down a well on the show as far as I know. Lassie fell down a well. Timmy got stuck in a mine shaft and fell in a river though.

P-P-P-PINNING POWER!

For the record I am not, and never will be, a Scrappy-Do fan.

He may have been the thing that killed the cartoon in the hearts of children all around the world.

In fact I’m not sure I know anyone who actually liked that annoying pup.

But the alliteration was calling to me.

Pinterest!!

I love pinning and will continue to do so but I really want to use Pinterest to drive action and results in my creativity rather than just being a mood board.

Last year I made few things from my pinterest boards.

Souces: dress via A Beautiful Mess; cookie cutter pumpkin tutorial; tote made with ink blot tutorial

 

This year I want to aim for at least TEN makes from pins but would love to do TWELVE. A bit like the Pinterest Challenge (which seems to have gone a bit quiet lately).

So how are you going to do this Amy?

The “Don’t Just Pin In!” Challenge

I’m not going to allocate each month a pin but instead go with the flow.

I mentioned my desire to conquer blouses in this post so I made a pinterest board for my blouse inspiration.

I  also want to action anything I’ve pinned that incorporates scallops into my clothes! And definitely in collaboration with the above point.

Recipes are encouraged as it will develop my cooking skills. Ideally I’d like to make more savoury food than baking but I am obsessed with sweet treats so let’s see.

And finally anything home or DIY related would be great to include.

My first pin turned to reality for 2013?

Fish Karahi – Fish cooked with onions, peppers, tomatoes, garlic and ginger to create a rich authentic taste.

I made this the second week of January by sort of following the recipe here and what I remembered of an amazing meal at from Akbars restaurant.

What next?

There are already some front runners for this year:

This is likely to be the next make. Piñata Cookies for Mr AR’s Birthday.

After that, this blouse by Charlotte Azou has been paper drafted using a similar pattern and I’m currently refining the collar.

Also lined up is this polka dot Topshop dress. I have fabric and a pattern ready!

Next, if I manage to overcome my previous fabric stamping fails I’ll be making a horse print dress just like this.

And if we move to a new house this year I’ll definitely be making a triangle quilt.

I want this exact style but with slightly different colours.

So do you use Pinterest for making mood boards? Or do you actually turn these pins into tangible real life makes?

I’m taking the Don’t Just Pin It challenge this year. Anyone want to join me?

**And yes I know I have one too many full points in my ellipsis but it took me sooo long to make the graphic and the button while poorly that when I spotted it I didn’t have the heart to amend it, even though the professional editor in me is very disappointed in my sloppiness**